Let’s face it–you’re getting older. Back pain, dizziness, falls, hearing loss, muscle strain are all increasingly likely. Studies show that six in ten people born between 1946 and 1964 will be managing a chronic condition by 2030.
But things aren’t looking too bleak, as a medical community is swelling to meet the challenge with medical clinics and urgent care centers supplementing hospital emergency rooms.
Emergency Rooms
This one is first because if you’re at risk of dying or losing a limb you need to stop reading this right now and go to an emergency room. Call 911, and get an ambulance.
Emergency rooms are expensive but they are equipped with the technology and personnel to treat the most dire of injuries and illnesses like strokes, heart attacks, head injuries and loss of vision. Luckily, there are less expensive options for most maladies.
Urgent Care Clinic
Urgent care is for when you need immediate attention, but it’s not life-threatening. Broken bones, for instance. An estimated 65% of people over 60 years old experience dizziness, sometimes on a daily basis. If that dizziness leads to a fall that results in broken bones, severe bleeding or unconsciousness, you should be brought to the nearest urgent care clinic.
Most urgent care facilities are open seven days a week, but not all of them, so it’s a good idea to call ahead if you can. Diarrhea, minor fractures and sprains, vomiting and smaller cuts that may still need stitches are all things that can be usually be treated at an urgent care facility, and at a lower cost than the emergency room. They can often provide x-rays, physicals, and many testing services.
Walk-In Clinics
Walk-in clinics are designed to be an inexpensive way to have minor maladies checked out by a health professional. Many of them are staffed by physician’s assistants rather than medical doctors. They can treat things like coughs and congestion, infections like pink eye, painful urination, upset stomachs and skin rashes. If you’re debating whether you even need to see a doctor, a clinic can provide you with the medical help you need.
To be prepared in the event of an injury, you should find your nearest urgent care clinic and check its hours and services so you’ll know immediately whether you can save some money by avoiding the emergency room.